Air Pollution Linked To Breast Cancer (Research) - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica highlights a significant new research finding linking air pollution from gas and diesel vehicles to an increased risk of breast cancer in women. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which is invisible to the naked eye and can remain suspended in the air for weeks while traveling hundreds of miles, is a key pollutant implicated in this health risk. The study analyzed data from over 400,000 women and 28,000 breast cancer cases in the United States, finding that a 5-microgram-per-cubic-meter increase in PM2.5 concentration was associated with a higher incidence of hormone receptor-negative breast cancer—a more aggressive and harder-to-treat form of the disease. Additionally, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a marker of vehicle traffic pollution, was linked to a 3% increase in overall breast cancer incidence, which could translate to thousands of preventable cases annually. The article emphasizes that air pollution from fossil fuel combustion is not only an environmental issue but a serious public